Narrators: Lynda Cohen Loigman,
Gabra Zackman
Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 978-1250278104
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 10/08/2024
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC)
TOP BOOKS OF 2024
It's never too late for new beginnings.
On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs―an active senior community in southern Florida―she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s old pharmacy―and the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.
As a teenager growing up in 1920’s Brooklyn, Augusta’s role model was her father, Solomon Stern, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy and the neighborhood expert on every ailment. But when Augusta’s mother dies and Great Aunt Esther moves in, Augusta can’t help but be drawn to Esther’s curious methods. As a healer herself, Esther offers Solomon’s customers her own advice―unconventional remedies ranging from homemade chicken soup to a mysterious array of powders and potions.
As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding but complicated relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses Esther’s most potent elixir with disastrous
consequences. Disillusioned and alone, Augusta vows to reject Esther’s enchantments forever.
Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past. What happened all those years ago and how did her plan go so spectacularly wrong? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing a part? And can Augusta reclaim the magic of her youth before it’s too late?
About the Author
Photo Credit:
Photographer: Randi Childs
Lynda Cohen Loigman graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School. Her debut novel, The Two-Family House, was a USA Today bestseller and a nominee for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Wartime Sisters, was selected as a Woman's World Book Club pick and a Best Book of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine.
Her most recent book, The Matchmaker’s Gift, was named a Best New Book by People Magazine and a Best Book of Fall by the New York Post, Parade Magazine, Buzzfeed, and Good Morning America.com. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is her fourth novel.
Connect with Lynda
Exceptional Authors. Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Coming October
Interview with bestselling Author
Lynda Cohen Loigman
Welcome to the second October 2024 #AuthorElevatorSeries! Joining us for the second time a long-time personal and fan favorite— special guest, bestselling author Lynda Cohen Loigman, with her fourth highly anticipated novel, THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN.
Join us as Lynda shares some fascinating behind-the-scenes exclusives from the book and up-close and personal fun moments from this super talented author!
Welcome, Lynda!
Behind the Book
Q. DESCRIBE your new novel in three words or less.
LCL: Atmospheric, warm, satisfying
Q. INSPIRATION: The spark that ignited the novel (or series). Where were you when the idea came to you?
LCL: The inspiration for this story came from two separate sources. The first source was my husband’s great grandmother, Goldie, who graduated from Fordham’s College of Pharmacy in 1921. The real Goldie ran her Bronx store for decades and when she gave that up, she worked decades more as a hospital pharmacist in Manhattan. Because she didn’t want to retire, she changed the date on her pharmacy license so no one would know her real age. Her given name, I learned only recently, was not Goldie, but Augusta.
The idea of a book about Goldie was in the back of my mind for years. But to be honest, it wasn’t Goldie herself, but the 1920’s pharmacy setting that truly captivated my imagination. The prescription room—with its the shelves full of neatly labeled bottles, pills, powders, and tinctures—seemed like a perfect place to explore a dash of magical realism in my writing.
While my husband’s family provided inspiration for this setting, it was my own father who helped me find the voices of my characters. After moving my father to an assisted living community in Florida, I would sit with him in the lobby outside the dining room where his fellow residents gathered to gossip and tell stories. It was there that I realized who Augusta and Irving would be, the history they would share, and the mistakes they would make. Watching the residents interact with each other and listening to them chat and laugh, I was reminded that age does not change who we are, and that we never lose the desire for companionship or love.
Q. RESEARCH: Any fascinating research for the novel, or anything you learned along the way?
LCL: The research for this novel took me in so many interesting directions. I began with the book Corner Druggist written by Robert B. Nixon, Jr. in 1941 about his father’s career. It was here that I came to understand the early pharmacist’s role as advisor, therapist, and confessor. The patient anecdotes in this memoir helped me portray Solomon Stern’s role accurately. I also interviewed the father of my own local pharmacist, who was born in 1937 and told me about his early days as a stock boy and delivery boy at a drugstore in Brooklyn. I read early editions of American Druggist magazine, where I found advertisements for all of the products Stern’s Pharmacy might have carried on its shelves, as well as all of the equipment Solomon Stern might have used.
I read a lot about the development of Brownsville, the neighborhood in Brooklyn where the story takes place. I also researched gangsters in that period and the unique role of drugstores during Prohibition.
In order to build Esther’s role in the story, I did a great deal of research on herbalism, as well as Jewish folklore and mysticism. The idea for Esther’s mortar to have words inside it came from an article I read about ancient incantation bowls. These bowls were found buried beneath homes in what is now Iraq and Iran. They were produced from the sixth to the eighth centuries, and were usually inscribed with prayers in Aramaic, with words written inside the bowls in a spiral. They were meant to protect the residents from evil spirits. After I learned about them, I wanted to create Esther’s mortar as a special sort of talisman with words inside it.
Q. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: (Loved these characters!) Your favorite character to write, and/or most challenging?
LCL: I had so much fun writing all of Irving’s scenes, but he was a challenging character to bring to life. From the beginning, the reader is given information that makes Irving easy to dislike. Readers know he hurt Augusta in the past. They know he has been somewhat unscrupulous. They know he is jealous and possessive, and they know he gave Vera the wrong idea about their relationship. Yet, even with all those strikes against him, I knew I had to make Irving loveable.
The key to writing Irving Rivkin was to use a combination of humor and vulnerability. Irving cracks a lot of jokes in this story because humor is his way of coping with a lifetime of disappointments and loss. He has a very specific voice that was challenging for me to capture on paper. I wanted readers to laugh out loud, but also to cry when they read his scenes. At the end of the day, I hope he comes across as a flawed but kind and endearing man who sees and appreciates Augusta in a way no one else ever has.
Q. POWER OF WORDS: An ongoing theme throughout the novel is the power of words. As a master storyteller, can you share more.
LCL: Thank you for the lovely compliment, which I think illustrates this exact point. When I read your kind words, they brought me joy. Words have the power to do this for people. Words can make us feel every emotion. One of my favorite parts of the novel is when Esther talks to Augusta about what words can do. “A kind word can fix a person’s spirit. A cruel one can break a person’s heart. Wicked words have caused wars and honest words have made peace. Why shouldn’t they be able to heal?”
I think every writer and reader knows the magical power of words. All writers hope to find the right words to explain a situation or an emotion so that they can relay it to the reader. And all readers know that special feeling when they read something that perfectly describes something they have experienced themselves. This is the way words make us better people—by creating empathy and connection.
THANK YOU, Lynda, for spending time with us today!
LCL: Thank you so much for reading Augusta!
Continue reading below for more up close and personal with Lynda!
Behind the Author
BIRTH STATE?
Massachusetts
CURRENT STATE?
New York
ZODIAC SIGN?
Libra
FAVORITE THING ABOUT WHERE YOU RESIDE?
Taking walks in my neighborhood with my dog
FAVORITE FLOWER?
Hydrangeas
FAVORITE COLOR?
Blue
YOUR FAVORITE GO TO DRINK OR FOOD WHEN THE WORLD GOES A LITTLE CRAZY.
Chocolate, licorice, all kinds of candy
YOUR SECRET TALENT?
I’m good at making up silly rhyming songs. This annoys my children to no end.
FAVORITE KITCHEN/COOKING/HOME/GARDEN PRODUCT OR TIP.
When you buy strawberries, cut them up and then put them in a container with a folded paper towel at the bottom. The paper towel absorbs the moisture, and the berries will last so much longer!
DOG/CAT LOVER?
Dog! My dog Winston is part Havanese, part toy poodle. He’s my favorite.
YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO WRITE?
I do my best work sitting at my kitchen table
A CHARACTER YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
I love all my characters, but I particularly loved writing Mort from The Two-Family House. He had so many quirks and I loved the way his character changed and grew more open and expressive throughout the story.
NAME A BOOK TITLE ON YOUR BOOKSHELF OR NIGHTSTAND THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR READERS?
I read a lot of fantasy, so probably The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS IS YOUR FAVORITE? WHY?
That is like asking someone to pick a favorite child! They are ALL my favorites!
DESCRIBE ONE THING ON YOUR DESK, CURRENTLY?
Right now, I have my husband’s great-grandmother’s brass mortar and pestle on my desk. My mother-in-law lent it to me while I was writing The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern. I’ve gotten so much enjoyment from looking at it while I write, so that’s been very special. But I’m going to have to give it back soon!
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK?
Half Magic by Edward Eager
Thank you, Lynda—fun & fascinating! I also follow the strawberry tip for all my fruits & veggies, which works magically! PS I hope you get to keep the brass mortar & pestle.
Praise
"Augusta and Irving’s love story is charming without being saccharine, and Augusta’s tongue-in-cheek wit combined with her renewed hopefulness makes her the perfect unexpected heroine for new beginnings. . . . For anyone who believes in second chances."
―Kirkus Reviews
"Loigman presents two fully realized time lines, each full of Jewish cultural touchstones, in this charming love story that proves it's never too late for a second chance."
―Booklist
"In this poignant tale of late-in-life love, Loigman showcases her talent for transporting readers into recent history through lovingly researched details and a touch of magical whimsy...This is a charmer."
―Publishers Weekly
"The happiest I have felt in years inside the world of a book."
―Natalie Jenner, #1 nationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society
"Mix equal parts humor, heart, and hope and you’ll get The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, a sparkling ode to second chances. I adored Augusta on both of the book’s timelines, delighting in both her razor-sharp wit as a present-day Floridian retiree and her unrelenting curiosity as a grieving motherless child, in Brooklyn, whose life is upended by an aunt who appears to have spiritual healing powers. Lynda Cohen Loigman’s latest is a must-read that will leave you believing in the power of believing."
―Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
"Lynda Cohen Loigman has done it again with The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern a feel-good story brimming with twists, tinctures, and a few love spells gone wrong. Readers will resonate with Augusta's struggle to balance work and love, and they'll commiserate with her lifelong disappointment over "the one that got away." Or did he? Life doesn't always work out how we planned, but sometimes, the truth―and redemption―are merely waiting to be uncovered. One of the most satisfying endings I've read in a long time."
―Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary
"Two parts indelible characters, a heaping of gorgeous prose, a pinch of humor and a dash of old-world charm―this romantic elixir may just be Lynda Cohen Loigman’s best work yet. But the magic here is no sleight of hand. It's enthralling to read an author at the top of her game." ―Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants
"In the charming The Love Elixir of August Stern, Loigman introduces us to the plucky eighty year old heroine Augusta Stern, who just might find a second chance at everything that matters. Loigman's crisp, hilarious, and deeply moving prose brings us to the heart of the matter: the fathomless mystery of love. As the timelines draw closer in both Florida and New York, we turn the pages at top speed to discover the truth about lost love and family secrets. With the language of elixirs and potions at its center, Loigman brings us the sort of novel we need today, one full of hope, delight, and magic."
―Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea
"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is full of keen historical details and just a whisper of magic. What a smart, quirky, utterly satisfying read. I found myself transported into Aunt Esther's mysterious night kitchen, and was charmed from beginning to end. Lynda Cohen Loigman has written another big-hearted winner."
―Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds
"Always brilliant, Lynda Cohen Loigman blends historical fiction and second chance romance to create magic in this completely engrossing, elegant story. I fell in love with every character, held my breath through every twist and had to keep myself from racing to the end. I absolutely loved it."
―Annabel Monaghan, bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer
"A beautiful tale of family, friendship, lost love, growing old and the magic of second chances. I defy you not to take Augusta Stern and this wonderful cast of characters to your heart. Uplifting, charming and completely life-affirming."
―Annie Lyons, bestselling author of The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett
"Utterly charming and delightfully heartwarming, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern will cast a spell on you from the very first page."
―Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind
"Loigman's latest is a perfect gem! The unforgettable characters in this delightful, beautifully written novel discover that it's never too late to right wrongs, to make a fresh start, and to fall in love all over again. A truly charming, meaningful, and, above all, uplifting story."
―Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet Spot
"A luminous novel…I was mesmerized from the first page [and] a believer in inevitable love by the end of this marvelous adventure."
―Jimin Han, author of The Apology
My Review
Master storyteller (favorite author) Lynda Cohen Loigman returns following The Two-Family House, The Wartime Sisters, and The Matchmaker's Gift with her latest magical and timeless journey, THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN —it is never too late for love and second chances.
Captivating. Exhilarating. Magical. Heartwarming. Charming. Uplifting!
About...
Brilliantly told in dual timelines, this story features a cast of memorable, well-developed characters full of heart and wit, whom you will root for until the end.
1987: Augusta Stern has been a pharmacist for many years and is retiring. She is nearing her 80th birthday, even though her paperwork says she is much younger.
Jackie, her niece, has found a wonderful new retirement community for her in South Florida, Rallentando Springs. Upon arrival, she is shocked to find her first love, Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy at her dad's pharmacy who broke her heart sixty years earlier. He called her Goldie and has not forgotten her.
1920s: Brooklyn, NY. Augusta was working in her father’s pharmacy. He was all about medicine. Her mom died, and her quirky, fun great aunt, Esther, moves in with them. She brought unconventional potions for spiritual healing powers, remedies, hope, love potions, and more. Augusta finds herself caught in the middle of both medicine and miracles.
While Augusta attempts to find her place between her father and her mysterious aunt, she falls in love with Irving, the delivery boy.
But when she gets involved in the elixir, a mysterious concoction with the power to change lives, things take a turn. Here she is sixty years later, face to face with the love she wanted back then. What happened long ago to tear them apart?
Will Irving and Augusta have a second chance at love?
My thoughts...
I loved this book! I have read all of Lynda's books, and this is my absolute favorite.
With dual timelines (equally as engaging) and well-developed characters, you will be enchanted by this charming, magical, and delightful love story of second chances! It's a narrative that will captivate you, proving that it's never too late for new beginnings. No matter your age or time. Top Books of 2024!
Fully immersive and engaging, a mix of lyrical, romance, nostalgia, and mystery! I fell in love with Augusta and Esther, who grew up in a time when it was a man's world. Augusta is tenacious and witty, full of hope, heart, and soul, and finally opens her heart to second chances.
As always, I love Lynda's storytelling and the power of words. I enjoyed the South Florida setting. (Part of the inspiration was Lynda helping her dad move from Boynton Beach- in my backyard.)
On a personal note...
Funny, I am moving in two weeks (after my 72nd birthday) from South Florida, four hours away (still in Florida), to a new senior independent living, so I enjoy these stories as I find myself in this age range where there is a lot of reflection on your life. I am also on a 5-6 year waiting list (these senior lists are so long) for my forever home in Asheville, NC (another independent senior living) to be closer to my sons and grandchildren in North Carolina. (Of course, by then, I may need assisted living or a nursing home) HA...
THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN is not just a novel; it's an experience. It's an ideal pick for book clubs and further discussions. Check out the author's letter, inspiration, and book club discussion questions. From the stunning front cover, the story, the characters, the setting, and the superb writing—a first-class novel that will warm your heart.
Recs...
This book is a must-read for fans of the author, Sarah Addison Allen, Patti Callahan Henry, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Kristin Hannah, Nicholas Sparks, Rochelle Weinstein, and Kimberly Brock.
It's a story that understands your love for fiction, literature, storytelling, romance, historical novels, and the power of love. It's a perfect addition to your reading list. I am a huge fan of the author; everything she writes is enchanting!
Interview...
Be sure to check out my upcoming featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Lynda on pub day (Oct 8). In this exclusive interview, we will go behind the book and explore up and close and personal from this mega-talented author! (sign up for my newsletter on my blog).
Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for the honor of reading a digital advanced reading copy via NetGalley for an honest opinion. Also pre-ordered the hardcover copy for my home library and look forward to the audiobook, narrated by Lynda and Gabra Zackman. #SMPInfluencers
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 8, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A
